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Hestercombe's fascinating history
Hestercombe has always had a place at the leading edge of creativity, from Coplestone Warre Bampfylde’s groundbreaking landscape garden design with its borrowed views, to Gertrude Jeykyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens’ collaboration that pushed the boundaries of garden design and planting in the formal gardens. At the centre of these wonderful gardens lies Hestercombe House.
Over the coming months we have ambitious plans to give this grand building a new lease of life and share with you more of the incredible stories from the estate's past. Our first exhibition, the reinvention of Hestercombe by the Portman family, the last family owners of the grand house, is now open on the ground floor. And later this year we aim to create four further exhibitions to interpret the significant historical events in our history.
- The collaboration between Gertrude Jekyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens when they created the Grade 1 listed Formal Gardens.
- Hestercombe at War, the compelling story of how the Hestercombe Estate made its contribution to the war effort as headquarters for the British 8th Corps and 19th District US Supply Services.
- Use of Hestercombe House for 60 years as Headquarters for Devon and Somerset Fire Brigade.
- The story of the Warre family, former owners of Hestercombe for 500 years.
